One of the most popular looks for natural hair is the undercut. It is a great way to keep the hairline clean and easy to style while helping to add contrast that shows off your natural texture. However, when it comes to undercuts and natural hair, there are a few things to know before you reach for the cutting shears.

Continue Reading Get it done by a professional. While there are a lot of hair care tasks you can do by yourself, an undercut isn’t one of them. If you are going to do this look, it’s best to let an experienced hand handle the clippers. Letting someone else do it is also practical because they can see the back of your head better than you would be able to with a mirror so they can ensure a clean, even cut along the hairline.
Know there will be ongoing maintenance. Many naturalistas mistakenly choose this look because they think it’s low maintenance. While it’s true that it’s less hair to deal with on a daily basis, there is still some upkeep to keep this look fresh. How often you will need to re-trim your undercut will depend on how fast your hair grows and also the closeness of the original cut. If you get an intricate pattern in your undercut that is no longer visible, it’s time for a touch-up. Most people have to have their undercut trimmed around every 2-4 weeks, depending on their growth.
You can either go bold with a full cut or choose a half side cut. A full undercut will be the entire bottom hairline whereas the half would be just one side of the hairline. The full is a great way to make a bold fashion statement while the half is perfect for those with long hair that may want to hide the undercut during certain situations. With a flip of their long hair, a half cut can be easily hidden from sight.
Growing hair out can be a journey. One of the most important things to know about undercuts and natural hair is that growing it out can lead to hair that sticks straight out instead of falling flat. Obviously, this will depend on your hair type more than anything, but you should still consider this factor before taking the plunge. If your hair has a harder time staying flat and hanging, an undercut grow out phase will require a lot more gel to keep things smooth.

Black women spend a lot on beauty products- $7.5 billion annually- to be exact. Yet, we are grossly misrepresented in beauty advertising. In fact, a survey from 2015 found that of all the fashion advertising done for Spring and Summer, 85% of the models were white, and just 5% black. Hold the mascara!

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